Butter print mold



Oct. 12, 1954 H. R. cooN, sR., EFAL BUTTER PRINT MOLD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 14, 1945 Oct. 2, 1954 H. R. COON, SR Em 2,691,218

BUTTER PRINT MOLD Original Filed May 14 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 12, 1954 H. R. cooN,-sR.. ETAL 2,691,

BUTTER PRINT MOLD Original Filed May 14, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Harolaffi. @mg-SzvEczrd J Patented Oct. 12, 1954 BUTTER. PRINT MOLD Harold R. Coon, Sn, and Earl J; Rana Toledo; Ohio, assignors to- Lynch: Corporation, a.- can poration of. Indiana Original. application. May 14, 1945, Serial No. 593,708; now Patent. No. 2,592,793, dated April 15, 1952;; Divided and this application September 21, 1951, Serial No. 247,931

3. Claims.

Our present invention relates to aprinting machine for butter, oleomargarine, lard. and similar products, the machine being entirely automatic in operation. This application is a divisionof our patent entitled Printing, Wrap-ping and Cartoning- Machine-for Butter and thelike, No. 2,592,793; issue-dApril I5, 1952.

An important object is to provide printing mechanism having a novel arrangement for adjusting the size of the print and thereby molding the print to the desired weight.

With thisand other objects inview, our invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of our device whereby the objects contemplated are attained; as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying" drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a por tion of the machine disclosed in our Patent No.

2,592,793, showing the printer worms for feeding the butter from a hopper into print forming cavities;

Figure- 2 is a vertical sectional view of aportion of themachineshown in our said patent; on, the line 22- of-Figure 1 showing a printer worm and the print-forming mechanism;

Figure 3' is another vertical sectional view, on anenlarged scale, of the machine: disclosed. in our said patent, showinga front view of Figure 2 and lo'oking at Figure 2 from the right.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 of this application/are sub:- stantially the same as Figures 6, 7' and 9 of our Patent No. 2,592,793. For facilitating cross reference, the samenumeralsare used inthis application as in the said patent to indicate the same parts. Reference is made to: said patent" for a complete descriptionof'parts not described inzthe present application.

In the accompanying drawing we have used the numeral I'M toindi'cate a butter hopper. Within the'hopper a pair of printer worms or feed screws I58 andl55= are rotatably mounted. The worms I56 and l53 rotate in semi-cylindrical seats ltd; and li62'of:'the:hopper 1.54 with their forward ends rotating in tubular portions: I64: of: the hopper, as shown in Figure 2; The rear, ends of the worms are. suitably, journaled; in bearings. I66, and the shafts; for the: worms terminate in; square heads; Hi8 (see-figure 1.)- The heads l:68.ar.e.received in.

square sockets Fill, ofcoupling members H2, which coupling members-are secured. as by keying to. the worm drive shafts 92' and l t-8. Suitable packings iii are provided to prevent escape of transmission grease from. the transmission housing: 5 Zrinto thehopper i543;

The printer worms M6 and. its terminate just short-oi right andileft-hand constricting nozzles 2M and 216 having outlet portions Bit and:

which. are of: asize: to form. the length. and height; indicated: by reference: letters L. H, respectively; of a, quarter pound: print of butter.- or the like. Theprint is-shown in end view at 222 in Figure 2'. The butter is forced. by the: worms [Eli and: 553 into the outlet portions Bit and 2.29.,

which may be termed extrusion molds, tethereby produce continuous slabs of butter of indefinite length. From the molds titand 22d; the

butter enters right and left-hand vertical slots 22%;- and. 22 3', respectively, as-seenin Figure 3, and is sheared off and elevated through these slots by rams 2 28 and 239. The vertical slots and rams cooperate to provide print-forming molds, as best shown in Figure 3, whereby the length and height of the extruded slab is maintained,

the print width (indicated by reference letter Vi is determined. In this manner, the geometry of the molded print is defined and the desired weight thereof is achieved. In Figure 2 the ram 228 and its top wall 232 is shown in the elevated position, whereas in its lowest position it would register'with the bottom and top of the mold as shown by dotted lines.

The top walls 232 and 234 of the rams 223 and 239; respectively, are adjustable with relation. to

the tops of the rams by means ofl'eft and right hand screw threads 23% and 233 in a lug 2 M], and a downward extension 233 of the top wall member: This arrangement ofparts, with respect to ram 228; isshown in section at the left side of Figure 3. The right 'hand side is similarly constructed with respect to ram 233, and accordingly; has similar reference numerals.

The two sets of left and hight-hand screws i and 2.38 are formed onadjustingv shafts: 2142 and: 2M; the; shaft 262: having a. couplingconnection 24-55 with a shaft. 2 33; and the shaft 2% having a coupling connection Mill-with a shaft 252:.v

I-tawillbe apparent that: each of the rams; 2285 and 238 define an aperture registeringwith: the

3 outlet portions 2H] and 223, respectively, and that the top walls 232 and 234 of the rams may be adjusted with respect to each ram body so as to vary the height of the aperture. The walls defining the vertical slots 224 and 2223 provide means whereby the apertures in the rains each serve to define a cavity for receivin an extruded charge of butter of predetermined amount.

The shafts 242 and 244 may each be made up of upper and lower telescopable parts. The shafts 242 may thus have a lower portion of square cross sectional form slidable within a longitudinal square hole in the upper portion of the shaft 242 which upper portion is externally threaded.

The shaft 248 extends downwardly through bearings 254 and has a worm gear 256 mounted thereon. The shaft 252 is geared by a pair of pinions 258 to an offset shaft 266 in order to miss the main drive shaft 38 The shaft 260 has a worm gear 252 thereon. Worms 264 and 266 mesh with the worm gears 256 and 262 and are mounted on an adjusting shaft 268. The shaft 268 extends to the exterior of the frame l6 and has a graduated control knob 210 thereon for the purpose of rotating the shaft 268 and thereby the threaded shafts 242 and 244, adjusting the size of each of the two butter prints 222 simultaneously.

Associated with the extrusion molds 2l8 and 225, and the vertical print-forming molds defined by slots 224 and 226 and rams 223 and 235, are air relief valves 2'82 (see Figure 2). These air relief valves have beveled edges adapted to seat on valve seats 213. The purpose of the valves is fully disclosed in the Heft, Rapp and Dority Patent No. 2,258,288, issued October 7, 1941, and, accordingly, will not be explained in this application further than to show their general relationship to other parts of the complete machine.

For operating the vertical rams 228 and 230 we provide links 3l2 pivoted to lugs 313 on the lower ends of each of the rams 228 and 23!! (see Figures 2 and 3). The links in turn are pivoted to a short shaft 314. The shaft 314 is supported by one end of a lever 3H5 which has its other end pivoted on an eccentric shaft 313 supported by a pair of brackets 32!). The arm 3(5 carries a roller 322 adapted to travel in a cam groove 323 formed in the gear 298 mounted on the shaft 296. The shaft 3H3 is eccentric for adjusting the pivot by rotating the shaft and then looking it.

A horizontal ram 324 for the butter prints 222 is provided (see Figure 2). The ram 324 has a central portion 328, whereas the ram itself is (in plan view) in the form of the arms of a T, the leg of which is the portion 325. Thus the ram will accommodate two prints of butter, one from each of the vertical rams 228 and 233.

The vertical rams 228 and 233 are actuated from a drive shaft extension I38 through the gears 352 and 304, shaft 382, gears 382 and 298, shaft 296, cam groove 323. roller 322, lever 3l5, shaft 314 and links 3l2 (see Fig. 2).

The horizontal ram 324, 325, 328 is also actuated from the drive shaft extension 138, by means of the gears 358, 351, 356, 355; a suitable linkage connection comprising a shaft, cam and roller, not shown in the present drawing, but illustrated in Fig. of our Patent 2,592,793, serving to connect the gear 355 and the link 346; the arm 344, the shaft 342, the link 340, the lever 338 and the slide 332 (see F 3) i All of the operating elements of the machine are driven by the motor 23 through the various shafts and gears, as already explained. The various cams are so contoured and timed in relation to each other than the various parts of the machine cooperate to form the butter prints.

Practical operation In the operation of our printing machine the butter or other product to be formed into prints is placed in the hopper I54. The butter which is forced from the nozzles 214 and 2; passes through the outlets 2H) and 220 and into the vertical slots or passageways 224 and 226 (224 being shown in Figure 2). At this time the ram 228 is at its lower limit of movement in the passageway 224 and the butter is thus forced between the upper end of the ram 228 and the lower face of the ram top member 232, which are shown dotted in Figure 2. When the butter has completely filled the square opening having the dotted surfaces 228 and 232 at its lower and upper limits, the ram 228 is elevated for cutting off the quarter pound of butter. It is then elevated to the position shown at 222 in Figure 2, where it can be engaged by the ram 324.

While we have described the operation of the ram 223 only, it is obvious that the ram 230 operates in the same manner and in unison with t .e ram 228 so that there are two prints of butter in position for being engaged by the horizontal ram 322 for horizontal advancement to other parts of the machine where the prints are wrapped and cartoned.

It will be understood that by raising or lowering the top walls 232 and 234 by the mechanism described, the capacity of the vertical molds 224 and 225 may be varied, as required, to provide prints having a predetermined weight from butter batches of various specific gravities. Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of our machine without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims such modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents as may be reasonabl included within their scope.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine of the character disclosed, printing mechanism comprising means forming a vertical slot, a ram reciprocable therein, said ram having an aperture to receive a charge of butter or the like, said slot forming means providing wall means cooperating with said aperture to define a cavity within said ram, and means for adjusting the height of said cavity to thereby vary the weight of the charge of butter received therein, said last means comprising an upper wall of the ram adjustable relative to the lower wall thereof to vary the height of said aperture, a side wall of said ram rigidly connected to said upper wall and slidable over the body of said ram, and means operatively associated with said ram for holding said upper and side walls in any adjusted position with respect to said lower wall.

2. In a machine of the character disclosed, printing mechanism comprising means forming a vertical slot, a ram reciprocable therein, said ram having an aperture to receive a charge of butter or the like, said slot forming means providing wall means cooperating with said aperture to define a cavity within said ram, and means for adjusting the height of said cavity to thereby vary the weight of the charge of butter received therein, said last means comprising a first portion of said ram provided with an upper wall and a side wall adjustable as a unit relative to a second portion thereof, and an adjusting shaft having right and left-hand threads in the said portions.

3. In a machine of the character disclosed, printing mechanism comprising means forming a vertical slot, a ram reciprocable therein, said ram having an aperture to receive a charge of butter or the like, said slot forming means providing wall means cooperating with said aperture to define a cavity within said ram, and means for adjusting the height of said cavity to thereby vary the weight of the charge of butter received therein, said last means comprising a first portion of said ram provided with an upper wall adjustable relative to a second portion thereof, said upper wall having a leg extending alongside the ram and slidable relative thereto, and an adjusting shaft having right and lefthand threads in the second portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

